This story is set after the 2nd war, Charlie and Bill Weasley are catching up with an old friend.
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Charlie Weasley sat in the Three Broomsticks with his brother Bill and his favourite Aunt.
Gillian Abrams was not his Aunt either by blood or marriage, she was his Uncle Gideon's best friend and he had always called her Aunt or Gilly whenever he and Bill visited his Uncle's flat in Hogsmeade. She was often there on order business, something that a six year old Charlie had no idea about and just to hang about with his Uncles who were extraordinarily funny. It was often commented that Fred and George had received their sense of humour from their departed Uncle's.
When Gideon and Fabian had been murdered by Death Eaters they saw less and less of Gillian or Haggy as Bill liked to call her. She had been present at the funeral of course and a help to the Weasley's whenever possible, though she was extremely busy with work for the Order and as an Auror. After Voldemort had been defeated she had decided to emigrate to Australia, with one thing and another she didn't feel she could live in England any longer. Charlie had been most excited to hear she would be returning for the second war and that she had decided to stay when the battle was won.
Charlie smiled as Bill told them a joke a goblin had told him while at work. He had never cared to call Gillian Haggy like Bill. Its origin had come from Gideon who called her "Honorary Aunt Gillian" Bill, being the clever sod that he was realised the acronym for this was H.A.G or Hag, he had therefore called her Haggy ever since. Charlie refrained from calling her Haggy as it may imply to someone that Gillian looked like a Hag, they couldn't be further from the truth if they tried. Despite being older than Charlie and Bill by 13 years or so Gillian was exceptionally beautiful. She had light honey coloured hair that fell just beyond her shoulders, a magnificently sculptured face that made the most of her plump lips and exquisite green and gold eyes. She was tall for a woman, as tall as Charlie but that didn't detract from her femininity as she had one of the mist feminine figures anywhere. Charlie remembered seeing her for the first time as a child and wondering if she was an angel, he still wondered the same things now.
"So boys, what's it like being married? In some ways I still can't believe my little Scooch and Scamp are old enough to have girlfriends, never mind wives."
Charlie smiled as he thought of his own wife, Faith. If truth be told the fiery brunette was a lot like Gillian.
"It's great." Replied Bill. "But I agree, I never thought I'd get there, never mind 'Scamp'" he said referring to Charlie.
"Hey." Said Charlie indignantly. "I know my first date was nothing to shout about, but neither was yours."
Gillian's eyes lit up. "First dates! Come now boys, tell Auntie Gill all about it. I had a disastrous one myself if I recall."
Bill took a swig of his butterbeer. "Okay, I say we all recount the tale. Truthfully! I know when you're lying Charles."
"As do I you William." Replied Charlie sniggering, taking a swig from his own bottle of Butterbeer. "And seeing as you suggested this little story session, I suggest you go first."
"Only fair, Scooch." Gillian said, seeing the immediate retort forming on Bill's lips.
"Fine, fine. I guess here goes then. Her name was Rebecca Moss. It was my fifth year and I had noticed her looking at me for some time, my friends informed me, and I think you did once didn't you Charlie?" Charlie nodded his answer. "She was quite pretty, and seemed okay, so I thought why not. A Hogsmeade weekend was scheduled at the weekend so I asked her to accompany me. What a mistake.
"I asked her where she wanted to go and she replied Madame Puddifoots." Charlie couldn't suppress a snigger here, it was just a shame he had taken a drink at the same time and was now choking slightly.
Bill gave him a dark look and continued. "I'd never been in Madame Puddifoots, nor had I felt the urge after hearing stories from boys in my dorm, however it was where Rebecca wanted to go so we went. It wasn't to my taste at all, all frilly and girly and just vomit-inducing. We found a table and ordered tea. It was then the date really went downhill.
"I'd tried making conversation on the walk down to the village but it was very mono-syllabic. It turned out Rebecca hated being referred to as Becky or Bex as I out of habit did call her. She hated any form of academic work and hoped to work as a journalist in With Weekly when she graduated. I pointed out this required academic work of some sort and was nearly hexed on the spot. I told her of my fascination with Wizards ruins and she looked positively disgusted. She much preferred to gossip on what was going on in Hogwarts and who was going out with whom. In short we had nothing to talk about.
"After my cup of tea she saw some girls from our house on another table obviously looking over. It was at that point she dragged me across the table, sent china flying, and basically assaulted me. I remember feeling dazed as I slumped back down in my chair. She stood up, said bye and thanks for an okay day but didn't think we should see each other again. I remember turning as she left with her friends and saw her exchanging a high-five with one of them. It was rather embarrassing."
Charlie who had been trying to control his urge to laugh by this point lost control completely and howled with laughter. His older, cooler and entirely more fanciable brother had been used by a girl on his very first date. It didn't get much better.
"Oh, Bill, being used. Not nice." Said Gill, though her voice was wavering with the urge to laugh.
"Tough luck, bro." Charlie said through snorts, clapping his brother on the back.
"Don't know what you're laughing at. Your turn next." Bill replied his face nearly as red as his hair.
Gillian nodded as she drank her Butterbeer. "Go on Scamp."
Charlie sighed and began to tell the story of his first date. "Mine too was in fifth year. Bill had overcome the trauma obviously of two years ago and was now the most sought after boy in school. My skills on the Quidditch pitch had made me somewhat desirable it turned out, and I noticed many girls came to watch practice. Bill had called this the 'Weasley effect'." Bill nodded to his right.
"So, I noticed the girls were digging Charlie. Good job I did too, you were do obsessed with Quidditch you'd have never of known. Faith practically had to beat you up so you'd notice her!"
"I do notice girls, just because my life didn't revolve around them doesn't mean I had no clue." exclaimed Charlie, feeling himself becoming more flustered. "Anyway, back to the story. A lot more girls came to watch the team practice. I found this an unnecessary distraction to some of my players and wasn't too happy with it. However one of the girls always waited for me after practice to speak to me, she was a fourth year Gryffindor and was very talkative and extremely forward. In the end I relented and agreed to take her on a date.
"I refrained from the age old Hogsmeade date and seeing as she was so interested in flying, decided to take her up in the air. It would have been a lovely date I'm told if things didn't go wrong.
"Margo, despite loving to watch Quidditch, and especially me, she told me, hadn't really flown. She pretended she had but I could tell by the way she eyed my broom she was afraid. I asked her if she wanted to go for a fly and she said yes to my amazement, obviously being a Quidditch player was very persuasive. I mounted the broom and helped her on. She gripped it so tight I was afraid the handle would snap. I told her to relax as I gently took off from the ground. The absence of earth under her feet was enough for Margo. In her panic she made the broom rocket upwards, I tried to control it but she wouldn't relax her grip and let me take over. We were shooting all over the pitch. EAs she screamed herself silly in front of me I managed to prise her fingers off the handle and regain some control. This however was a wrong move. She waved her arms wildly and before I knew it she had fallen off."
Gillian gasped in front of Charlie and he was not surprised why.
"I managed to get to her before she hit the ground and escorted her back up to our common room. Margo and I then agreed that it was best not to repeat what had happened to anyone. I never saw her Quidditch practice after that and to this day it is the most afraid I have ever been on a broomstick."
Bill clapped solemnly. "Smooth. I knew I could count on Charlie to nearly kill a girl on the first date." Gillian laughed. "To be honest after that I'm surprised you got as many dates as you did!"
"Must have liked the fear factor I guess." Charlie shrugged, not really knowing why himself.
"How 'bout you Gill. Was your story anywhere near as funny as our Charlie's here?"
"I reckon I can give you a run for your money Scamp." She smiled, finished her drink and began.
"Unlike you two pimps my first date was in 6th year. For two years I had been pestered by one Sirius Black. He was my friend, and also a friend of friends and obviously he was the best looking boy in the school. I however said no before for reasons I'm not quite sure of myself." Gillian paused and Charlie saw he smile as she reminisced. She shook her head rather abruptly to get her out of her stupor.
"I said yes because I thought why the hell not. Sirius, like many boys including Bill, thought Hogsmeade the safest option. He however wanted to go when it was not a visiting day. I remember meeting him in the Great Hall expecting to be taken for a walk round the grounds, or perhaps following suit in your idea Charlie. Instead I was sheparded to a mirror on the fourth floor which after many taps with Sirius' wand became a passageway which led to the upstairs of the Three Broomsticks.
"It was a long walk and credit to Sirius he kept me entertained along the way. We entered the pub, snuck downstairs and Sirius went to get drinks as Madam Rosmerta was used to him visiting out of hours. We sat on a table not far from this one and talked. It was lovely, the perfect date. However, just as Sirius leaned in to kiss me Professor McGonagall stood over us fuming.
"She frogmarched us up to the castle and gave us both detention." Bill was laughing loudly as was Charlie; Sirius really did have some nerve.
"That's not the end of it boys." Said Gillian, her eyes sparkling. "Sirius seemed to think detention was our second date. And lads if you can find a more romantic setting than scrubbing the trophy room under Filch's supervision then you have my upmost respect. I remember joking to Sirius when he was trying to convince me it was a second date that the smell of lemon cleaning supplies really did it for me. On our anniversary, he bought me a whole set of Lemon Muggle cleaning supplies." She then too began laughing but Charlie noticed a look of sadness in her eyes.
"But it worked? You went out with him, for ages." Bill asked.
"Yes it worked, but I don't suggest everyone try it. Only someone with the charm of Sirius could manage that."
They were all still laughing as they made their way out of the pub and into the crisp night air.
Gillian really was his favourite Aunt.
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